Rectifier system.



D. E. CARPENTER.

RECTIFIER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1914.

- WITNESSES:

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

INVENTO M a. BY g ATTORNEY I STATES PATENT @FFICE.

DAVID EQGABZPENTEB, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

RECTIFIER SYSTEM.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,733. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. CARPENTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rectifier Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vapor electric apparatus, and it has particular reference to systems of current rectification embodying vapor rectifiers of large capacities.

One object of my invention is to provide a rectifier system with an indicator which will show positively and visibly the electrical condition within the rectifier.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rectifier system with a voltmeter in such a manner that the voltmeter willbe protected from damage caused by current interruptions within the rectifier. A further object of my invention is to insert reactance in a novel and effective manner in the keep-alive circuit of a system of the character indicated.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a rectifier system embodying my invention.

In the operation of a rectifier in which the .arc is started and renewed by reciprocating one of the electrodes toward and away from the vaporizable cathode of the rectifier, it is desirable that the operator be warned when he has lowered the electrode far enough to make contact with the cathode. This I accomplish by connecting an incandescent lamp across the circuit which energizes the keep-alive electrode.

Referring to the drawing, the rectifier 1 is provided with a vaporizable cathode 2, a main anode 3 and a maintaining or keepalive anode 4. Current is supplied to keepalive anode from any suitable source, and passes first through a variable resistance element5, then through a reactance'element 6 and then to the electrode, the circuit being completed through the cathode 2, a cathode lead 7 and a conductor 8. A lamp 9 is connected across the keep-alive circuit from the lead 7 to a point between the elements 5 and 6, the lamp being thus connected in parallel with the keep-alive are. This arrangement is generally necessary because, if the lamp were connected from the lead 7 to a point between the reactance element 6 and the electrode 4, it would be difiicult to start the keep-alive are on account of dissipation of the inductive energy supplied by the reactance coil through the lamp rather than through the keep-alive are. If, however, the resistance of the lamp is sufiiciently high, this relative arrangement of the reactance element and the lamp becomes unnecessary.

It is usual to insert a voltmeter across the keep-alive circuit and it sometimes happens that, when the keep-alive arc is interrupted, for any reason, thevoltage across the voltmeter increases so greatly as to burn out the voltmeter; This is because the voltmeter absorbs the large inductive energy generated by the reactance coil at the moment when the arc is extinguished and when the voltage is consequently greatly multiplied. I avoid the danger of such damage by so connecting the voltmeter 10 in my system that the lamp 9 is in parallel with it. The resistance of the voltmeter is much greater than that of the lamp, and, consequently, when an interruption in the arc causes the reactance coil to deliver a strong inductive kick, this will be absorbed by the lamp,-and the voltmeter will thus be preserved from danger.

-Alternating current is supplied to the anode 3 from any convenient source through element in series with the electrode, and an incandescent lamp in parallel with the maintaining arc and with the reactance element.

2. A rectifier system comprising a rectifier having a maintaining electrode, a circuit for energizing the said electrode, a voltmeter connected in parallel with the maintaining arc, and an incandescent lamp also connected in parallel with the maintaining are.

3. A rectifier system comprising a rectifier having a maintaining electrode, a circuit for In testimony whereof, I have hereunto energizing the sald electrode, a voltmeter subscribed my name this 13th day of Feb. connected in parellel with the maintaining 1914.

are, a reactance element in series with the DAVID E. CARPENTER. electrode, and an incandescent lamp in par- Witnesses: I

allel with the maintaining arc and with the EARL M. BILL,

reactance element. B. B. HINEs, 

